Coyotes 3, Penguins 1

February 01, 2014|Reuters

The Sports Xchange

By Jack Magruder, The Sports Xchange

Coyotes 3, Penguins 1

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Phoenix defenseman Zbynek Michalek scored his first goal in two seasons and center Mike Ribeiro scored his 200th career goal to lead the Coyotes to a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday at Jobing.com Arena.

Michalek gave the Coyotes a 2-0 lead at 10:50 of the second period with his first goal since March 5, 2012 -- a span of 83 games -- when he was in the second of two seasons with the Penguins. That goal came against Phoenix.

Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin cut the score to 2-1 scored his 16th goal of the season with five minutes left in the second period, but that was the last shot on goal for the Penguins until midway through the third period.

Eastern Conference leader Pittsburgh (38-15-2) lost for the first time in 10 games against the Pacific Division this season

Forward Radim Vrbata scored his 13th goal on a two-on-one break for a 3-1 lead four minutes into the third period as the Coyotes (26-19-10) won for the third time in five games.

Goaltender Mike Smith, who sat out the last two games, made 23 saves before a season-high home crowd of 17,362.

Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves for Pittsburgh.

Ribeiro scored his 200th on a wrist shot from the top of the left circle at 12:42 of the first period, six seconds after a Coyotes power play elapsed but before the Penguins had a chance to regroup. Coyotes center Antoine Vermette had an assist, extending his point-streak to a career-high seven games.

Michalek hit the crossbar in the first minute of the second period before scoring on a slap shot from the blue line midway through the period. Defenseman Oliver-Ekman Larsson made a cross-ice pass to Michalek after just keeping a pass from Ribeiro in the attacking zone.

Malkin scored from the left side of the net after finding himself open following a pass from right winger James Neal. Malkin started the play along the boards behind the net, when he kicked the puck forward to himself before getting it to left winger Jussi Jokinen.

NOTES: Pittsburgh played the second game of its two-game "mother's trip" Saturday, with the mothers of players, coaches and support staff accompanying the team. The Penguins won the first game 4-1 in Los Angeles on Thursday. ... The Coyotes were 18-4-3 in February in the last two seasons. ... Because of the unbalanced schedule and a strike-shortened season, the Penguins played their first game in Phoenix since Nov. 6, 2010, when they posted a 4-3, shootout victory. ... The Penguins faced their fourth straight Olympic goaltender in Coyotes G Mike Smith after losing to Dallas Stars G Keri Lehtonen (Finland) and beating Buffalo Sabres G Ryan Miller (U.S) and Los Angeles Kings G Jonathan Quick (U.S.). Smith will represent Canada.